


Asís Sisters

by Anonymous



Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Autism, Cancer, F/F, Guess who, Identity reveal upon Guessed or when the story's over, Lesbians, Nevermind it continues, Slow Build, Subtle Romance, Victoria leaves Santa Cecilia, Writing Exercise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-09-30 09:54:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17221745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Victoria makes the decision to leave home and receive treatment, this changes everything for the Rivera family.





	1. Victoria Rivera

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’m trying to be sneaky, and this is a challenge, can you folks guess who I am? This is just something fun. But yeah, good luck. I think it should be obvious, but what do I know.
> 
> AKA, pst Coco Locos Discord, can you guess who I am?

 

She leaves in the middle of the night.

She leaves when nobody can stop or challenge her.

She leaves. She leaves with a heavy heart and a deep ache in her chest. It’s hard, as the train pulls away from the Santa Cecilia station. It’s hard watching the home she’s known for her whole life as it slowly gets further and further away. It’s hard, but she knows that it’s for the best.

She reads on the train.

Reads and watches. Glancing every so often out that window. Watching as the world passes by. Waiting really. Waiting and watching as people come and go. Each station, until it reaches her stop. Mexico City.

Mexico City.

She takes a breath as she steps off the train, just letting the sounds of the city wash over her. Letting it all pass her by. Eventually she shakes herself off, and moves with purpose towards her destination. The hospital.

She has to hail down a taxi leaving the station.

Find the line and find one that’s willing to take her. And she doesn’t end up alone in the taxi. She’s not the only one sitting there. On the way to the hospital. She sits silently, only glancing at the other girl in a purple suit. A pressed suit, purple, prim and proper. It’s a rather unusual style choice. Why wear a suit?

Still once they reach the Hospital they part ways fairly quickly. The other lady heading deeper into the halls of the building to meet someone while she talks to the receptionist about organizing her treatment. It’s the only way.

It’s the only way she’s going to recover.

It hurts when she thinks about the effort she took to get here. And thinks about how the family must be taking it. Did they find her note she wonders, did they find her reasons for leaving. Still now she crosses her arms, waiting for the verdict on when she can start treatment.

“Could you come in next week Doña?” she nods her head, a stiff clear nod. “Your treatment will start then.”

“Gracias Doña” She nods her head and leaves. Not even thinking much of it.

* * *

It’s hard the first time, sitting in that room and just waiting to be called in. She’s aware that it’s still rather experimental, but there’s a chance. A chance that this will help her to get better. No more dizzy spells, no more weakness and pain. No more vomiting without reason.

She’ll be better.

There’s a familiar face in the waiting room. A familiar purple suit, with some faint floral embroidery around the edges of the sleeves and the collar. The other lady is sitting by a younger one, wearing a shawl over her head, and looking down into her lap. Whispering reassurances to the younger girl.

“Irene Asís!” the doctor steps out calling, and the younger girl stands up, pulling her shawl tighter and stepping into the room. Stepping in for treatment. There’s silence, and the girl in the suit sighs, leaning back in the chair and rather dramatically in Victoria’s opinion flinging a hand over her forehead and letting out a second drawn out sigh.

There’s some laughter from a couple of the other patients in the room. An older man, and another lady.

“That’s enough of that Javiera! No need to act as if your hermanaita is going to die in there!”

“But I won’t see her for another half hour. Querida me, mi pobre hermanita.” Javiera sighs again, settling herself back up. “Mamá will be so pleased when this is all over.”

“Ay, won’t we all be.” the older man grumbles, and there’s a chorus of agreement from around the room. She even nods her own head, until Javiera starts to tap her fingers on the arm rest of the chair. It’s ignorable at first, just a small tapping in the background, but as the others are called in one by one, it begins to irk.

A repeated tapping.

A repeated sound. And after a while the lady starts to _hum_.

_Hum_

“No music!” the words are a snap in the air. So much like her Mamá Imelda’s used to be, like how her sister speaks them. The words are firm, and afterwards, until she’s called in there is blissful quiet.

* * *

“So may I know the name of such a beautiful Señorita?”

“You already know my name”

“Sí, but only as the doctor’s called it,” she doesn’t even look the other lady’s way to see the easy grin. “I would be honoured to hear it from the hermosa Señorita herself.” She finally turns to give the other lady a look, she’s still in that ridiculous purple suit with the floral embroidery. Her eyes narrow just slightly.

“And why don’t you introduce yourself then Doña?”

“Ay! Of course, how rude of me.” she watches as rather dramatically the lady stands up, and rather grandly gives a sweeping bow. An action that’s met with laughter from around the room. “Soy conocido como Javiera. Jarviera Asís!”

“Soy Victoria Rivera” she finally says, rolling her eyes at the easy wink that Javiera gives her. When the purple suited girl takes her hand and gives a small wink, she narrows her eyes.

“Ay. A hermoso name, for a hermosa dama.” she rolls her eyes, even as there’s a faint warmth in her cheeks as Javiera lightly presses a kiss to her hand. Before standing back up and giving a second light bow towards her. Victoria merely rolls her eyes once more, she’s not so beautiful now. The treatment is leaving signs.

Not that she’s the only one really.

Just a few more weeks.

As Javiera settles herself down once more in a seat, the tapping starts up again. As it has every single time, tapping on the arm rest.

And on cue.

“No music!”

* * *

A week later, she’s sitting in the room and Javiera comes in with a guitar slung across her back. There’s a decorated sombrero adorning her head, and a cheerful grin across her face.

“Ay! Francesc!” she whirls around bringing the guitar in front of her. Victoria’s already eyeing it warily, bracing herself with a slight grimace crossing her face. The rule is still no music. And while she stopped complaining about the tapping, since it only ever paused for minutes at a time. “I heard today’s your last day of treatment! So hows about some musica, to celebrate?”

Victoria fully grimaces as the lady’s fingers dance over a couple of the strings in demonstration. Her younger sister, giving a small laugh, and clapping her hands along with the music as it begins to carry in the room.

Its grating.

Its grating because Victoria finds herself swaying just slightly in her seat along with the music. She can’t help it, and she can tell that the música is paying attention to her, a grin is sent her way. That’s about when she opens her mouth, and sings.

She’ll never say that it’s nice.

“No music!” she says instead and the song comes to a halt with an off-key chord and shocked expressions all around the room. “No music!” she shakes her head, arms crossing over her chest.

“But why Señorita?”

“It’s just not the Rivera way. A Rivera is a Shoemaker through and through!” she declares, standing up, and brushing down her dress. “We have no need for such frivolities and wastes as music!”

“It’s harmless Señorita! And brings such joy how could you not-“

“No. Music. All music has done is tear our family apart, I will not stand to listen to it!” her part said, she sweeps herself out of the room and down the hall a ways to wait. But even there, some distance away, she can hear those notes carried and Javiera’s voice fills her head.

* * *

She can’t leave every time.

So she sits and crosses her arms. The next time Javiera plays a song, she stares at the wall and determines to ignore it. She can feel the gazes on her, can hear the words of the song and practically feel the music sway her down to the bones. But she can’t leave the room this time when a small voice joins in.

A small and shaky voice, from the one who she’s seated herself beside. Irene, Javiera’s little sister.

It’s really hard to pretend that she can’t hear the others in the room join in. Slowly, one by one. The music does lighten something in the air, but it is still wrong. But she can’t leave.

The nurses had found her in the halls the last time. Walked her back into the room and asked her to be patient for the doctor, and enjoy the music that the nice mariachi was playing for them.

She’ll do one of those two things, and ignore the other.

Even if her body still sways. She pulls out a book, and focuses on the words. Not the cheerful song around her. She’s a Rivera, and they are well trained to ignore the sound of such frivolities. Trained to ignore the song.

But there are a few songs she does find herself humming along to.

And those times she doesn’t need to look to see Javiera’s grin.

* * *

It becomes the pattern. Someone’s final day of treatment will arrive and Javiera will come in with that guitar and play them a song. Some of them are small and quick, most of them are fun, but not all of them. Each one seems personally tailored to the person who she’s playing them for.

It’s incredible.

And annoying. Because Javiera always seems to focus particularly on her. Watching her specifically as she plays, and swaying on the spot nodding towards her. She doesn’t know what the lady thinks that she’s doing, because she’s not interested in the least.

Still she finds herself coming in, and settling beside Javiera’s sister each time. She settles beside the girl in the shawl. But this time there is a difference.

Instead of seeing the lady in the purple suit there is an older women there. With a rather severe look on her face as she glares at the door where the doctor will exit from. She quirks an eye brow as the women grumbles and walks over, sitting herself on the other side of Irene.

There’s silence, and she feels herself turn, ready to ask-

“Hola!” Javiera springs into the room, beaming, and gives a quick bow to her. “Today I have good news! Today is finally Irene’s last day of treatment!” there’s quiet for a moment, everyone absorbing the statement before there are some cheers. “Our Mamá has joined us today, to help Irene through this trying time, and as a celebration, I shall be playing mi hermanita’s favourite song! The Ernesto De la Cruz original! The World Es Mi Familia!”

There’re cheers all around the room. And as the song begins, Victoria finds herself nodding along. She lets the music carry her, it’s not so bad after all. And beside her, Irene sings along with her sister, matching the guitar with clapped hands.

Only shortly afterwards, the frail girl is called in, her final treatment.

* * *

Victoria isn’t expecting Javiera when she’s going in for her last session.

She isn’t expecting to see the purple suited mariachi, and yet when she walks in there she is. Beaming at her with an absolutely ridiculous grin. And rather surprisingly no guitar. Instead the mariachi just stands there.

“I heard, that today was your last day of treatment.” she says, offering a light bow. “And since I know you’re not the fondest of music,” there’s a pause before the other pulls a book out from behind her back. “I thought that this might be appreciated more.”

She can only stare at the book.

She can only stare at the book, a book on the history of shoemaking. A book on the history of crafting, a book. She takes a breath, and gently lifts the book from Javiera’s hands. Thumbing over the cover a soft smile covers her face.

“Gracias Javiera.” she says, smiling and Javiera grins.

“A perfecto Book, for a hermosa dama!” she says, giving a small bow. Before she can leave, Victoria hesitates, it feels wrong. It feels off, it feels-

“Javiera... por favor. Would you sing for me?”

The mariachi turns, staring with such wide eyes, before absolutely beaming at her. Only to stop, and frown. Motioning vaguely in the air as if she were holding a guitar before shaking her head. Instead she starts to sing, soft and light.

A melody that feels natural and nice.

It’s perfect.

* * *

Victoria returns to Santa Cecilia with a new book.

She returns as well with an order of shoes.

An order that she personally plans on completing. She also returns with music in her head. A tune that won’t leave even as she settles back into the routine of the workshop. She’ll catch herself humming the song Javiera sang for her on that final day of treatment.

Or she’ll be sitting in her room and some of the lyrics will find their way out of her mouth. When she’s reading her new book. It’s there. Always there in the background, and she sees how her Mamá lights up when she sees her singing softly to herself.

Her Mamá.

She caves and asks one day. Because Javiera put music into her head, into her soul. She asks her Mamá about her Papá. There are letters. Letters from Mexico City, letters filled with such love and-

“Lyrics?” she mutters to herself, turning them over in her hands. Very familiar lyrics as well. When Javiera comes for her shoes, Victoria plans.

She has some questions, regarding this Ernesto De la Cruz.

Questions based on letters, and the way her Mamá sounds so longing. The tiniest scraps, but it’s enough to make her wonder.

And quietly, she sings to herself as she works away.


	2. Javiera Asís

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise Coco Locos! Yep, I continued. Can you guess me yet?

Javiera is a Mariachi.

Javiera is a Mariachi and she has been one since her twenty-fifth birthday.

She is a mariachi, and music can’t help her hermanita as she dies slowly each day, Music can’t make her sister better, but she finds that when she plays and she sees her sister offer up that weak smile it’s enough. It’s enough.

But music doesn’t help.

It doesn’t stop their mother from crying long into the night, mourning her youngest daughter before she’s even in the grave. Still, it’s all that she can offer them. Her music, fingers dancing over the strings of her guitar, doing anything that she can to sooth.

Leukaemia. _Cancer_.

She offers only what she can.

It never feels like enough. Still she plays, she plays and listens to her sister weakly chime in with her own warbling voice. Soft words that fill the air. It is enough. It has to be enough. There is not anything else that she can offer.

Not until she finds the smallest glimmer of hope. The smallest chance. There is a treatment, it is new, it’s still in the early days but. She arrives back home with her broadest smile and talks to her Mamá. They talk long into the evening.

“Irene! Irene!” her sister looks up, eyes half glazed. “Irene, mi preciosa hermanita. We found it. We found the chance!”

“Qué?” Irene’s voice is quiet.

“Sí!” she grins, pulling her guitar around. “There’s a treatment. There’s a potential cure. They’ll make you better!”

“I’ll... be... better?”

“Sí! Ay Irene, won’t it be wonderful?” she spins herself around and Irene offers her another weak smile. It’s enough, and Javier starts to strum. A gentle melody by her sisters side. For what feels like the first time in a long time they have hope.

Irene could get better.

There is a treatment.

* * *

Before the end of the week Irene has an appointment to start treatment. Javiera watches as she is packed up into a taxi first. Taken ahead of them to the hospital. Javiera stays back, comforting their mother who has once more taken to tears.

It is enough to make her roll her eyes. But even she feels close to tears. There is hope, as wild as it is, there is hope.

She holds onto that thought as she picks her own taxi. And when a mysterious Señorita is picked up alongside her in the taxi from the station she finds herself watching. The other barely glances at her. Sitting in silence and staring ahead.

Once they reach the hospital they part ways. The mysterious Señorita walking up to the front desk as she makes her way deeper into the halls. They all look the same really, until she reaches that room near the back. Her sister isn’t alone.

There are others.

But for that moment she ignores them. Walking with a soft smile over to her hermanita and settling down beside her.

She whispers reassurances until her sister is called in. Hushed words that she has no idea if they soothe or not. A slight hum of lyrics making her sister smile.

She watches as her sister goes through that door once called. Sitting there for what feels an eternity before Irene comes back out. Her sister trembles, before giving her a smile. A small smile, but it’s enough.

There is hope.

* * *

The mysterious Señorita is in the same room as them.

Javiera finds herself staring initially. Staring as the stranger sweeps in and settles herself down in a chair near opposite to them.

She knows her sister is looking at her. But only offers Irene a smile, returning her gaze to the Señorita curious. Staring at her hair done up in a bun, and the light dress. It is soft. But she can’t focus on the stranger.

Irene looks down, into her lap, shawl pulled tight over her head. That queasy look covers over her hermanita’s face. So she leans over, gently whispering reassurances.

Once more offering all the comfort she can until Irene is called in.

She rests for a heartbeat, before dramatically sighing. Noticing the Señorita’s attention she decides to pour on the drama. To entertain, to resounding laughter from the others in the room. Other patients who she has slowly gotten to know.

“That’s enough of that Javiera! No need to act as if your hermanaita is going to die in there!”

“But I won’t see her for another half hour. Querida me, mi pobre hermanita.” she sighs, before straightening herself up and smiling. “Mamá will be so pleased when this is all over.”

“Ay, won’t we all be.” the older man says, and around the room there is a chorus of agreement. Even the mysterious Señorita nods her head. They all look forwards to when this trial will be over, when they will all be better.

She closes her eyes for a moment, fingers beginning to tap on the armrest.

She has half an hour before Irene will come back out. There is soft conversation around her, but she continues to tap.

A light beat on the armrest.

A repeated comforting sound, as one by one everyone else is called in. She smiles as they go, reassuring, affirming. Slowly, the tapping isn’t enough, and she begins to hum.

“No Music!” The words cut through the air. A snap that plunges her into silence, eyes wide as she stares at the one who had spoken. Until she’s called in Javiera stares at her, and even when Irene comes back out, she stares at the door.

_No music?_

* * *

She offers a light and easy grin when the Señorita arrives the next time. Greeting her with a sweeping bow, which is received with a roll of the eyes. A casual wink and she dramatically asks for the Hermosa Señorita’s name.

Even if she already knows it. As the doctor has stated it.

Of course when that question is turned on her.

“Ay! Of course, how rude of me.” dramatically she stands herself up, before giving a sweeping bow. The laughter is expected and appreciated. “Soy conocido como Javiera. Jarviera Asís!”

“Soy Victoria Rivera” there is a beat of pause after Victoria states her name. She winks, taking her hand.

“Ay. A hermoso name, for a hermosa dama.” Because it’s true, even as she raises the other women’s hand, very gently pressing a kiss to the back. Quickly she releases in, giving a second light bow and amusedly watching Victoria roll her eyes. Even if the treatment is leaving signs of all of them, Javiera means that comment.

Victoria is not any less beautiful or less mysterious as when they rode together in that taxi.

Still she settles herself back down to wait. Absently starting to tap again, just waiting for the cue that Victoria would-

“No Music!”

There it is.

* * *

Javiera buzzes around her room in preparation. Grabbing her guitar for one last quick tune and adjusting her charro suit. Everything has to be pristine, has to be perfect. She is already expecting at least one person to reject this but-

She grabs her sombrero from off her bed and rests it on her head, brushing her hair back and looking in the mirror. A quick once over and she puffs out her collar, adjusting her tie one last time.

She knows she’s amazing in this outfit.

Just like a proper Mariachi! It’s been too long since she wore the full outfit and had her guitar ready to play. It’s time to start a new tradition really. Time to start something fun. Although she does hesitate for a moment, a single face flickering in her mind.

Still she shakes it away.

If the demand is made she will ask why Victoria doesn’t like music. It could be too much noise for all she knows. An issue that’s understandable. And she can respect it if it’s just a matter of taste.

So she tips her sombrero just slightly and makes her way to the hospital. Already plastering on a giant grin and preparing to swing her guitar around from off her back. She grandly enters the room and beams at everyone.

“Ay! Francesc!” She whirls to face the man, swinging her guitar around. She can feel Victoria’s gaze on her, even as the man looks up. Curiosity in his eyes. “I heard today’s your last day of treatment! So hows about some musica, to celebrate?” she lets her fingers dance over the strings in demonstration and when the man nods she begins to play.

* * *

_A Rivera is a Shoemaker through and through_

The statement echoes in her head each time she looks at Victoria. The lady seems determined to ignore the music as best as possible. Yet, Javiera catches her swaying in her seat. She watches with interest and a grin as Victoria moves.

Whatever it is that made music tear the Riveras apart, it doesn’t keep music out of them.

Javiera can feel it. She can see it. Music is in Victoria down to her very bones. And she finds that more than anything else she wants to help Victoria to see that as well. And the fact that Victoria is beautiful has nothing to do with it.

Music is something that everyone should enjoy, so Javiera plays, and she smiles as her younger sister joins in with such a shaky voice. And Victoria hums, soft and quiet while reading a book.

* * *

It’s a constant.

That book, the way Victoria looks down. Reading even as she slowly starts mouthing along to the songs that she sings. The songs she tailors to each of the others going through treatment. Yet, even as it becomes a tradition and a routine, the day comes when it’s _Irene’s final day._

Their Mamá insists on going ahead first. Insists on going with Irene to the hospital. While Javiera remains back for a short while.

She has to really consider what song she should play in celebration. She knows her sister’s favourites. She knows exactly which songs her hermanita loves. So she takes a breath, holding a familiar old record and frowning at the grinning face on it.

She knows exactly what song she’s going to sing when she bursts into the room. There is an extra bounce in her step, a glint to her grin. So when she enters the room this time it’s with a certain spring to her step.

A broader than normal grin as everyone looks at her. Irene’s eyes lighting up and she’s sure that she’s picked the exact right song for this.

“Hola” she greets, offering a bow, angling herself just slightly towards Victoria. This is likely to be one of the last songs she’ll ever play for the other lady. After this, Irene’s treatment will be over, and unless the hospital requests more entertainment-- “Today I have good news! Today is finally Irene’s last day of treatment!” there’s quiet for a moment, everyone absorbing the statement before there are some cheers. “Our Mamá has joined us today, to help Irene through this trying time, and as a celebration, I shall be playing mi hermanita’s favourite song! The Ernesto De la Cruz original! The World Es Mi Familia!”

And she strums. The upbeat song perfect. The words flowing easily and clearly from her mouth as she dances around the room. Greeting everyone really. Just the way the song feels like it’s to be played.

Irene’s voice is frail when she joins, but it lifts her up.

Especially as she sees Victoria beside her sister just slightly tapping her hand.

All too soon the song is over and Irene is called in for her final treatment.

* * *

There’s a date she has marked down. A date that she’s not sure she’s going to do anything about. Certainly not music really. As much as she has played, as much as she has introduced.

“You’re doing it again Java”

“No I’m not!” she responds to her sister without much thought before dramatically sighing and whirling around. “Oh, Rena, I don’t know what to do” she clasps her hands together and she can feel the eye-roll.

“Just do it Java. You clearly want to”

“But Irene. Is it too much? Did I do too much? Oh--“

“Javiera!” she stops, looking at her sister who gives her a smile. “If you are this worried, maybe you just need to take a step back. Respect the rule.”

“I... Sí, you’re right Irene.” she says, looking almost longingly towards her guitar. But even now, despite the weeks and weeks of being there, following that routine. Playing those songs, and watching--

_No Music_

She does know what one other thing Victoria clearly likes. It’s a good alternative. And she takes a breath, something small.

“You’re right Irene.”

* * *

“Mamá! I’m going to travel to Santa Cecila for some new shoes!” she declares over Dinner. Irene looks up, something flashing in her hermanita’s eyes. That small bit of knowledge and she pretends.

“You mean you’re going to see your Hermosa Señorita?” her Mamá asks and she feels herself sigh. Lowering her head slightly and nodding. Her mother snorts. “Just as I expected, dios mio, Javiera when will you settle for someone respectable?”

“Mamá!” Irene hisses and she rolls her eyes.

“I am going Mamá, for _shoes_ , and good company.” She stands up, and without much more fanfare leaves. Within the week she is all packed. Guitar and all, travelling towards Santa Cecilia. The ride is easy, and she distracts herself with idly strumming some absent notes.

Until she’s there. Walking down the street.

There are whispers as she approaches the zapatería. Whispers that she can’t help but hear. People pitying her choice. But there standing almost as if she had known is Victoria. And it’s all she can do, stopping and staring.

“Hola Javiera!” Victoria greets and she once more offers a sweeping bow, smiling.

“Hola Victoria!”

“Before I retrieve your shoes, I have a few questions Javiera...” Victoria pauses and she straightens up. Blinking and waiting. “I have a few questions about Señor Ernesto De la Cruz, and his career.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I changed my mind on how I'm handling this. Here you go, get a continuation ;P But the challenge still stands. Can you guess me? Also, we all know I'm a Coco Loco, but who, that is the question!
> 
> But yeah... I will either reveal myself once two people on the server spot me... or when the story reaches an "ending". Whichever happens first...
> 
> ~~I am shocked nobody's spotted me. Because I have literally hinted that I was the one working on this. Several times~~


End file.
